South Race Street Historic District
Why it's listed
South Race Street Historic District is a densely built neighborhood on the southwest side of Statesville, North Carolina, bordered on the south by the Southern Railway tracks. It holds 85 contributing and 38 noncontributing resources across eight city blocks, mostly detached houses built between 1894 and the 1930s, along with a church, a parsonage and small neighborhood stores. Growth followed the 1893 opening of Statesville's first cotton mill, and about half the area was platted in 1894 by the Statesville Land and Manufacturing Company. Residents were largely skilled and white-collar workers, including two mill superintendents. Houses range from large two-story Queen Anne homes on corner lots to modest worker cottages, I-houses, Colonial Revival dwellings and bungalows, mostly built by local contractors. Later post-World War II infill is limited. The district retains its original street pattern, lot sizes and setting, which is why it was recognized for its architectural and historical value.
Significance in brief: The district is an intact collection of buildings reflecting the growth of an industrial community in the 1890s and early twentieth century. It developed as a neighborhood of skilled and white-collar workers employed in nearby mills and industries, part of it from a 1894 planned subdivision. It also shows a range of Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and bungalow houses built by local builders.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 95000635, listed May 26, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by S. Race St., Western Ave., W. Armfield St., W. Bell St., W. Sharpe St. and S. Oak St., Statesville |
|---|---|
| County | Iredell County |
| Listed | May 26, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000635 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Local builders and contractors (individual names not given in the available text) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Largely intact and well preserved; a few houses are vacant and some are undergoing renovation. |
| Acreage | 27 |
| Coordinates | 35.77776, -80.89351 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 95000635.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20713996
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.